§ Order of the Day for the House to be put into Committee, read.
§ LORD COLCHESTERurged the importance of proceeding with the greatest care in dealing with this subject. The 1842 public safety required that they should guard against undue laxity in any legislation of this kind.
§ EARL BEAUCHAMPsaid, that in 1871 the Petroleum Act was passed, and it provided a certain test, which was known as the open test. In 1872, a Bill was introduced to substitute another test for that contained in the Act of 1871, and that Bill was referred to a Committee of their Lordships' House, which took a great amount of evidence on the question. The proposal in the present Bill was the outcome of experiments that had been made in order to test the character of the petroleum.
§ House in Committee accordingly.
§ Bill reported, without Amendment; and to be read 3a on Tuesday next.
§ House adjourned at Seven o'clock, to Monday next, a quarter before Five o'clock.